APCDA Podcast

0:00 Introduction by co-host Samantha 1:30 Felicity in her own words - Who she is and what drives her 3:00 Experiencing redundancy at 24 4:00 Who does Felicity support, and what problems is she solving right now 5:50 What she loves about her work 6:52 How did she get started in career development work 10:30 Young Felicity 14:25 Taking a gap year 16:55 Most important career decision 21:11 What's next 23:20 Career life lesson learnt 29:50 Last words

In this episode, we sit down with Marjorie Woo, an inspiring leader whose career journey spans psychology, social services, corporate leadership, and executive coaching. From her early days growing up and studying in the United States to founding her own business in Asia-Pacific, Marjorie shares the pivotal moments, mindset shifts, and lessons that shaped her path. 0:20 Learnings from Felicity 1:40 Who is Marjorie Woo 5:20 Growing up as a child 7:55 Moving to States  10:00 What motivated her to do Social Services and Psychology 13:50 Adapting to her new life in the States 21:45 Having a business was not a 'proper' job  23:00 Her journey with Xerox 28:40 Applying what she has learnt from Psychology 31:30 Moving back to APAC and upskilling in MBA 36:15 How did she stand out in the midst of competition and unconventional norms 40:05 Most important career decision 46:00 Beginning her coaching career 47:35 What's next for Marjorie  49:50 Best career advice

0:00 Host's introduction of guest speaker, Jonathan 1:01: An overview of Jonathan's career journey 3.50 What drives his career reinvention 6:40 What problems is he solving now 8:20 What is purpose-driven 10:02 Biggest lesson when he was teaching first graders 11:50 Younger days 15:00 How did Jonathan get started in his career 17:20 Most important career decision to date 20:25 Defining leadership 21:13 What's next 23:23 What's the desired outcome 24:48 Coming from 'me' to 'we' 25:38 Best career advice 28:16 Being 'broken open' vs as 'broken'

In this episode of the APCDA Podcast, we sit down with Rahul Nath, founder and creative director of Vertical Slice Games Media. From an unconventional start in the gaming industry to directing films and building an immersive media studio, Rahul shares how resilience, curiosity, and a love for craft have guided his career. He reflects on pivotal life moments, lessons from failure, and why staying uncomfortable fuels growth. This conversation is rich with insights on creativity, entrepreneurship, and designing a career on your own terms. Shownotes: 0:00 Learnings by the hosts 4:12 Introduction of the guest 5:20 About the guest - Who is Rahul 7:15 What motivates and drives him 11:05 Getting started in the gaming industry 12:20 Create your own luck 13:15 Do it for the love of craft and other things will follow 15:00 Formative years 19:53 3 pivotal moments 22:28 Starting film directing 25:55 Most important career decision to date 29:30 Lessons learnt in life 33:18 What's next 39:15 Best career advice

In this episode of the APCDA Career Journey podcast, co-hosts Felicity Brown and Samantha Ng speak with Akshay Sharma, an Indian-born entrepreneur and technologist who has spent the last 12 years building a life and career in Vietnam. From giving up a secure engineering job in India to co-founding a proptech startup and a social impact venture producing affordable prosthetics, Akshay shares the mindset behind his bold decisions, lessons from failure, and what drives him to keep learning and contributing. This is a candid conversation about risk, resilience, and redefining success across borders. 00:05 Introduction of the guest 01:10 Learnings by the hosts 03:05 About the guest - Who is Akshay 04:35 What problems is Akshay solving right now? 05:40 How did Akshay end up in Vietnam 14:15 What shapes you to who you are today 18:18 How to choose between being an employee and becoming an entrepreneur 21:45 Biggest career decision till date 24:45 Dealing with uncertainty  27:45 Life is short 30:00 What's next 31:55 Best piece of career advice 35:20 What inspires Akshay

In this episode of the APCDA Podcast, Felicity Brown sits down with Jimmy Pham AM, founder of KOTO and co-founder of VietHarvest, for a heartfelt and inspiring conversation. Speaking from his car in Hanoi, Jimmy reflects on his early life journey from Saigon to Sydney, the founding of Vietnam’s first social enterprise, and the core values that have guided his decades-long commitment to empowering marginalized youth. From personal philosophy to future plans, Jimmy shares stories of resilience, purpose, and service—offering not only insight into his work, but a powerful reminder of how one person’s vision can shape thousands of lives. ⏱️ Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 0:32 Key takeaways from both hosts 3:35 Introduction to guest, Jimmy Pham AM 4:45 Who is Jimmy – Early years 6:55 Getting started in Vietnam 10:15 Jimmy's set of guiding values 12:35 What is KOTO 16:45 Lessons learnt 21:30 Philosophy behind KOTO 26:29 What keeps Jimmy going 28:10 What's next 31:05 Best career advice

Tamerlaine Beasley: Life-changing high school student exchange leads to intercultural business. In this episode Felicity and Sam interview Tamerlaine Beasley, Founder and CEO of Beasley Intercultural. Tamerlaine recounts how her influential early experiences living in Thailand led to a successful business delivering intercultural training programs to a diverse, globally connected workforce. 0:20 Key takeaways from Samantha and Felicity 4:00 Introducing Tamerlaine 5:30 Her growth spurt in Thailand 11:05 Purpose-driven work 13:10 Tips for working with people from different cultures 16:00 Getting into business at a young age 23:00 Hustling before hustling was a thing 27:00 Most important career (business) decision to-date 31:55 What's next? 34:24 Be willing to sit slightly outside of your comfort zone  36:50 Best career advice

Benjamin Loh recounts his career journey from a bullied child and introvert through to becoming a public speaker to audiences of thousands. His insights on developing confidence and defining success are memorable. Join us to hear about this Singaporean who is bucking career stereotype trends everyday. 0:00 Benjamin Loh's career journey and insights 2:22 Introduction to Benjamin Loh 3:23 From accounting to sales to professional speaking  6:03 The leap (of faith) 8:04 Building confidence and overcoming challenges 10:05 Balancing career and personal life 14:25 Defining success 15:27 Biggest lesson learnt 18:50 Drawing boundaries - How do we know that we have given enough as a helper 21:22 One most important career decision till date  25:01 Future plans and legacy https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminlohcoach/

APCDA Podcast is a monthly series on career-related discussions. The podcast is in its fifth season in 2025, continuing the theme of ‘Career Journeys’ where the co-hosts interview a range of people with fascinating career journeys to learn about their key career decisions and career advice. 0:05 Hosts' learnings 2:05 Introduction to Angela  4:13 What drives her  5:32 How she got started in her business 6:28 Early career exploration 8:20 Happenstance and Career Management 14:32 Coping with burnout 16:32 Balancing different life roles 19:45 Angela's career values  23:48 One most important career decision 29:42 Best career advice 30.27 Best self-care tip

Abe is the founder of Future Proof Global which is a business transformation consultancy that specializes in strategy, response to disruption, ESG implementation, organization design and development, leadership development and talent management. In his previous engagements, he has held senior management roles across geographies and functions in a career spanning more than 30 years. Join us in this chat with Abe to learn more about his journey. 00:06 Introduction 02:12 Current Work 05:26 Early Years 09:12 Defining Years at Singapore Army 11:42 Career Thoughts in Secondary School 13:07 First Degree and First Job 15:27 Approach to Career Decision Making 20:48 Key Influences 23:30 Using Self-Awareness to Become Learning Agile 27:28 Importance of Mastery and Leadership in a Career 29: 54 What is next? 32:30 Best and Worst Career Advice 34:20 Closing Remarks Guest: Abe Jacob | LinkedIn Profile

In this episode, Dr. Maze shares her inspiring journey from a career in mathematics and computer programming to her impactful work in career counseling and assessment. She discusses her early influences, time in the Peace Corps, and the founding of APCDA, offering insights into how personal drivers like happiness shape our career paths. Dr. Maze also explores the role of AI in career counseling and offers practical advice for anyone seeking growth in their personal and professional life. Tune in for her reflections on life lessons, career advice, and what’s next on her horizon. 00:59 Introduction to Dr Marilyn Maze 01:58 Personal drivers - happiness 02:19 Current work 03:11 Career start in mathematics teaching and computer programming 04:34 Peace corps work in the Philippines 05:52 Computerised career assessments 08:42 Birth of APCDA 09:27 Why career counselling? 10:54 AI and career counselling 12:11 Childhood influences and hobbies 14:48 Early career planning 16:17 Career advice 16:59 Life lessons 17:44 What's next? 18:17 Favourite motto 18:52 Final words

Daniel Lee was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta commonly known as brittle bones disease. He has not let that define him and is now a para-athlete, motivational speaker, and a social impact leader. He is also the founder of 360 All Ability that works to create an inclusive world for people with disabilities. Join us in this chat with Daniel to learn more about his journey. 00:06 Introduction 01:11 Current Work 03:55 Childhood 07:57 Interests as a child 09:10 Thoughts on career as a young person 15:20 Journey to becoming a leader and mentor 17:45 Journey to becoming a motivational speaker 21:45 Designing a portfolio career 26:16 Intrinsic Drivers 34:20 Introduction to formal para-sports 39: 26 Sporting ecosystem for para-athletes 42:15 What is next? 43:41 Proudest Achievement 46:15 Sharing wisdom on finding your purpose 47:30 Closing Remarks Guest: Daniel Lee| LinkedIn Profile

Michael Wilson has had a career spanning opera singing, public service, international development, and active politics. He is now the CEO of e-water and is based in Australia. Join us in our chat with Michael to learn more about his journey. 00:35 Introduction 01:55 Career plan 03:26 Influence of personal values 04:23 Dropping singing as a career 07:05 Growing up years 10:25 Childhood heroes 14:45 Career thoughts during high school and university 22:21 Decision making at a key crossroad 26:14 Choosing various job roles 33:32 Transition to e-Water 41:30 Requirements for a diverse and successful career 46:03 Closing Remarks Guest: Michael Wilson | Opera Singer, Public servant, and CEO| LinkedIn Profile for Michael Wilson

Huong Dang is a 2023 Obama Scholar, 2022 Yale World Fellow, and the founder of Hope Box. Hope Box is a social enterprise that provides psychological and economic recovery services to victims of gender based violence in Vietnam.  Join us on this chat with Huong Dang and listen to her incredible journey in life and career.  00:05     Introduction 01:45     Huong as a person 02:33     Current roles 05:32     Life story that led to Hope Box 12:54     Childhood Heros 17:05     Most important career decision 23:24     Trusting KOTO 32:00     Identifying the right trainee in social projects 35:22     Walking the path unknown 39:14     Heros Today 46:47     What is next 48:29     Best career advice     52:14     Final words

Dmitry Mikhaylov is professor, scientist, business innovator and an author in the area of big data and artificial intelligence. He is based out of Dubai. Join us in our chat with Dmitry to learn more about his journey. 00:04 Introduction 00:33 Guest Background 06:30 Childhood Years 13:45 Childhood Influences 15:34 Academic Journey 18:22 First Job 24:25 Balancing Teaching and Commercialisation 27:19 Most Important Career Decision 30:00 Key Achievements 33:35 What is next in the journey 35:47 Final Thoughts Guest: Dmitry Mikhaylov | AI Scientist and Deeptech Entrepreneur | LinkedIn Profile for Dmitry Mikhaylov

Azran Osman-Rani is the CEO and Co-Founder of Naluri. Naluri is a digital health therapeutics platform that combines behavioural science, data science, and digital design, to help users become mentally resilient and adopt healthy lifestyles that are sustainable. Join us in our chat with Azran to learn about his incredible journey. 02:05 Three principles; Connection, Curiosity and Courage              02:50 Younger years 05:57 Deciding his degree programs 10:33 Getting out into the real world 11:28 Job application process rejection, feedback, tweaking 13:13 Starting iFlix, resilience 19:51 Encouraging his children to make their own career decisions 21:00 Returning to Malaysia (via Singapore, Indonesia, South Korea) 22:00 Chance events – from privatizing the Malaysian Stock Exchange to Astro to Air Asia 25:08 Networking and reputation 25:56 Secrets of his success; take on difficult, complex problems through to execution 28:00 Common thread in his career - inception, affordable and accessible for mass markets 30:55 Starting Naluri from scratch 35:24 Navigating Crisis Situations 37:51 Biggest professional failure 42:38 Are leaders born or made? 44:20 What’s next for Azran Guest: Azran Osman – Rani | CEO and Co-Founder Naluri | LinkedIn Profile

Rebecca Wong works as a psychologist with elite sports teams and athletes to prepare them for global and regional competitions like the Olympics. Join us in our chat with Rebecca to learn more about her journey. 00:05 Topic Introduction 02:25 Growing Up Years 11:40 Admission into Sport Psychology 18:26 Move from Sports to eSports 25:06 What Rebecca likes best in her job 26:42 Most important career decision 30:37 Next steps for Rebecca 37:13 Life Motto Guest: Rebecca Wong | Esport and Sport Psychologist | LinkedIn Profile for Rebecca Wong Click here to feedback on this podcast.

This is the final episode of Season 3. Join me on this chat with fellow APCDA members Elisabeth Montgomery, Sujata Ives, and Liliya Tleukenova to talk about our learnings from the season. 00:12 Introduction 01:13 Guests Background 05:05 Career decision-making in different cultures 13:46 Micro credentials 27:05 Unique insights 34:09 Using industry information 41:59 Key takeaways Guests: Elisabeth Montgomery | APCDA Program Committee Chair | LinkedIn Profile Sujata Ives |APCDA Program Committee Co-chair | LinkedIn Profile Liliya Tleukenova |APCDA Program Committee Member | LinkedIn Profile

What kind of developments are taking place in Central Asia? What are the key labour trends in the region? What are the employability skills that are in demand by employers but lacking in job seekers? If these are some questions on your mind, join Liliya Tleukenova and I on this chat with Bolat Mynbayev and Natalia Timofeeva where we talk about the economic and talent landscape in Central Asia. 00:10 Topic Introduction 01:57 Guest Background 03:28 Regional integration updates 08:25 Impact of transport infrastructure development on economies 14:20 Needs and focus of different countries 17:36 Economic and labour challenges due to geopolitical position 22:02 Key labour market trends 24:50 Issues around high female unemployment 28:12 Advice to graduates on how to stand out to employers 29:55 General employability skills in demand by employers 32:30 Closing comments Guests: Bolat Mynbayev | Partner, Strategy & Operations, KPMG Caucus and Central Asia | LinkedIn Profile for Bolat Mynbayev Natalia Timofeeva | HR Director (People), KPMG Caucus and Central Asia | LinkedIn Profile for Natalia Timofeeva

How can we start addressing water scarcity immediately? What is the government doing about water pollution?  As the world moves towards urbanisation, will the cities have enough water to support the growing population? If these are some questions on your mind, join me on this chat with Ravi Subramanian where we talk topics related to water scarcity and opportunities available for the creative minds to tackle this urgent issue.   00:08    Topic Introduction 02:05    Guest Background 03:08    Targeted actions that impact water scarcity 07:00    Tech developments for small farms 11:40    Addressing water pollution 18:10    Improving public utilities  23:15    Emerging careers 26:55    Closing comments Guest: Ravi Subramanian| Ex-Director, CEO, Boustead Salcon Water Solutions Pte Ltd| LinkedIn Profile for Ravi Subramanian)